UGC makes PhD Mandatory for academic staff at University Level

University Grants Commission makes changes for recruitment teachers at College/ University Level

PhD Mandatory – The University Grants Commission (UGC) has changed the minimum qualifications required to get appointed as teachers and other academic staff in colleges and universities. Not only Ph.D. is made mandatory for the post of the associate professor, there is a minimum requirement of 55 percent in your Masters to get the recruitment. The teachers at the Delhi University have termed the draft regulations as extremely retrograde. The new regulations have affected the appointment of new teachers as well as the promotion of the present staff.

The newly drafted regulations by UGC 2018 have the following minimum qualifications:

Minimum 55 percent marks in Masters for direct teaching recruitment.

Ph.D. mandatory for promotion to the post of associate professor.

No study leave for pursuing Ph.D.

20 points for candidates with 80 percent marks in Bachelor’s, 19 points for candidates with 60-80 percent and no points for candidates with less than 55 percent.

No more Academic Performance Indicator (API) score till the position of assistant professor.

According to the regulations, study leave for Ph.D. will not be accounted as teaching experience. The teachers have particularly objected to the minimum percentage marks required for the general category students at the Masters level for direct teaching recruitment. A teacher at the Department of Commerce in the BR Ambedkar College, Sujit Kumar, said that the screening guidelines are not acceptable. He raised concerns for teachers who have graduated a long time ago or are teaching on an ad-hoc/contract basis.

Apart from the mandatory Ph.D., teachers are also worried about the move to the Level 12 pay grade that increases their basic pay from Rs. 7000- Rs. 8000. The earlier guidelines stated that at least 12 years of teaching experience as an assistant professor was required for the promotion to the position of associate professor.